Adventures of Sokka and Azula
by Fokusas
Summary: Azula Ship Challenge 2017, 2018
1. Mistake

Strange sickness befall Fire nation forcing most of its residents to be locked in beds unconscious or extremely sleepy while other could barely move sluggishly from one place to other. The firebenders suffered worse case of it compared to nonbender residents and the stronger firebender was the worse conditions it experienced. The life in capital was completely paralyzed with only couple peasants moving in empty streets, dragging its sleeping residents to safe places like hospital, apothecary, …etc. All shops, restaurants and other public places were left empty as if no one had time to properly close them with merchant wares still on their stools as if waiting for their owners to return. It was so sudden and unexpected that no one had time to do anything. As strange as it may be there were no thieves to take unguarded treasures since everyone were locked in their homes and lying unconscious or trying to tend to their relatives or simply hiding. One would think that with capital paralyzed, regional nobles would try to cease more power in their governed islands, but even there things weren't that much different with local populace suffering from similar albeit lesser condition. This new decease was spreading through entire Fire nation and no one knew why or how to contain it. Some, who were still awake, thought it was spirit scourge to punish them for all their bad deeds or it was dishonor the new fire lord brought to them, but they were powerless to do anything to change and could only murmur.

Fire lord Zuko was bedridden, but still awake enough to send word to summon his friends: avatar Aang and Katara, hoping that they could help him and his nation. Aang could deal with any kind of spirit shenanigans anyone may be brought upon Fire nation while Katara and her knowledge of healing could help alleviate or outright cure this damned disease. At same time Sokka was traveling together with them and decided to come too. Sokka was executing his father's order to never leave his sister out of his eyesight, except during extreme circumstances, to make sure Hakoda didn't become grandpa before his time actually came. That being said Sokka had to survive lots of oogies while trying to prevent or interrupt them anytime he could. It was extremely hard job for Sokka since after Aang and Katara announced everyone that they are going steady, they would spend any opportunity they had to kiss each other without any shame that everyone around then could see them. Sokka was already getting sick from all those "sweety".

Sokka, Katara and Aang, arrived to Fire nation palace and met Zuko in his room drinking some nasty beverage. Sokka saw how Zuko was gagging with every gulp, but continued to drink it. Zuko greeted his new guest and explained to them everything about this strange sickness that plagued his domain. Everyone where shocked by the huge amount of sick people or how fast this new sickness has spread. According to Zuko everything was fine and the life in capital went as usual then next day half of population didn't wake up and no one knew what was happening or what to do. Local healers and fire sages were incapable to find the source of it or cure it before this strange sickness claimed them and it only grew worse with more people succumbing to the so called Sleep sickness as the time passed. Soon the reports started to come from neighboring islands that they too experienced this new sickness. There even were reports that some people would fall unconscious on street while walking to see healers, jobs, or to meet their relatives. The fear started to spread though nation and everyone locked themselves in their houses trying to avoid it, but even there the sickness claimed them. In some islands there were still people lying on ground in some streets, but no one dared to try to move them, unless they were close relative, thinking they may be contagious.

"So you have epidemic on your hands, Zuko." Sokka was the first to recover from what Zuko has told them.

"Epy… what?" Zuko was unsure what that word meant or if he was finally succumbing to decease.

"Oh that's just a word I made up. Epidemic! A bunch of people suddenly fell ill and no one knows why or how. It's better to call it epidemic than plague and scare the shit out of everyone, not that there is anyone to scare here with everyone lying on the ground eating dirt. Now when people would start to die out left and right in front of you no one would care if you called it plague or any other shit." Sokka explained his mind. "No one died yet?"

"This is not a time to fool around, Sokka!" Katara silenced Sokka with bump to his shoulder.

"No one died yet, but at same time no one recovered and woke up either. I pray to sprit that this disaster end quickly before it got any worse. Its already several days since it started and i glad you arrived so quickly." Zuko replied to Sokka's question.

"At least that's good. Now that we are here we will surely find a way how to end this … accident. Don't worry about it." Aang decided to brighten the mood. "I will look for spiritual cause while Sokka and Katara help locals."

The group dispersed and moved on their separate ways: Aang going to fire temple while Sokka and Katara moved to palace infirmary.

o0o0o0o

Sokka was walking palace corridors while caring bunch of buns in his arms and looked for way to his room. All corridors were dimly lit and he most likely took wrong turn somewhere and now was walking aimlessly. He hit his feet to something and fell on the ground dropping all his food. The kitchen wasn't working so he had to serve himself and delicious looking buns were standing on table so he took them and went to his room before he fell on ground. Sokka started to collect then and didn't notice how he entered one of many rooms, where buns had rolled, nearby. Because this room, unlike the one where Zuko hid, had windows and was brightly illuminated Sokka managed to note that he wasn't alone in the room and once again dropped all his buns on the ground. The reason for that was because no one else, but the princess Azula herself was lying in this room and knowing her reputation, it scared Sokka with chills running his spine that the princess would rise up and set his ablaze. Sokka put his hand to his mouth to make sure no sound escape it and potentially woken deadly scary princess. After initial shock ended and Azula didn't move, Sokka decided to move closer to check on princess condition. The princess was lying so still in her bed that someone may even though she was dead already which in current situation could be very likely. Sokka moved and stood right beside her and could actually see that there were nothing that could identify that the princess was alive. At same time his other half of brains screamed to him that this maybe clever plot to attack him when he was distracted and he should flee this room as soon as possible. Sokka ignored that part and lowered his head toward princess to get better look at her. He didn't dared to lay his head on her chest to listen if her heart was still beating and instead decided to use other way to check if he isn't in room with a corpse. Sokka took a mirror from his pocket and moved it toward her lips. After the war has ended and Sokka was assigned to cock block Aang and Katara, he started to carry small mirror with him everywhere. When Katara once asked why he was looking so often into that small mirror, Sokka replied that he should always look perfect because now he is war hero and all girls want him. Aang and Katara thought that this hero worship complex finally got him and started to ignore Sokka's strange behavior. What they didn't know was that it was part of Sokka's clever plot to always have his eyes on them even when he had his back turned. It helped greatly to disturb all times when Aang and Katara started to kiss and Sokka had to interrupt those oogies. Now this same mirror will serve another purpose. To check if Azula was still alive.

Sokka hovered the mirror near Azula's lips for several minutes and then retrieved to check the results. He was relieved to find that this small test had positive results meaning that the princess was still alive. Sokka carefully collected his buns, which where lying scattered all around the room, and silently left the room hoping no one will notice that he was here. With the palace crew so small it would be only his bad luck if someone saw him.

Next day when he visited Zuko he learned that princess Azula has died. Apparently Katara and junior healer apprentice – palace physician succumbed to sleeping sickness and left his apprentice in charge – were doing check up on all palace resident when they entered princess room and found her dead.

"I couldn't find her heartbeat." Katara told to everyone that was in the room. What she didn't tell was that she thought that no one would miss if Azula would be proclaimed dead and tiny palace staff, mostly made out of sleepy Kyoshi warriors, could dedicate their time for anyone else that needed their attention. Both Sokka and Zuko were shocked by this news: Zuko because Azula was his sister while Sokka because he saw Azula just yesterday.

"We need to think about her funeral before her body starts to rot and become source of any other disease." Katara continued to talk.

"It will take several days maybe even week because of how understaffed we are." Zuko thought loudly. Current palace staff consisted mostly of Suki and her Kyoshi warriors, but even they were starting to feel sleepy.

Once the meeting was done Sokka's curiosity led him to see Azula to make sure she is really dead. Sokka couldn't believe that princess could die from some simple disease. He always thought that her life would end somewhere on the battlefield or from old age surrounded by her family if she found someone brave or stupid to marry her. It was funny how sometimes those two things come together. Sokka wouldn't be disturbed by corpses if he saw any, because he already saw plenty of them before the war has ended. His famous airship slice created one of biggest graveyard if you could name what has happened that day. Sokka saw how people jumped out of damaged airships trying to avoid going down with them or the explosions that rocked them when their structures gave up and flammable gasses keeping them in air combusted in huge fireballs and even if someone survived contact with ground from jumping so high they still died when raging inferno consumed them. It was truly disturbing view for anyone that looked down: people, corpse, and body part all consumed by fires. Sokka was glad that Aang, after defeating fire looser Ozai, decided to create huge tidal wave to extinguish fires, because not only it extinguished inferno but also washed most of corpses or their remains back to sea and away from his sight. Fishes had huge feast that day. Lots of men died that day.

Sokka moved to Azula's room to check if what Katara said was true and to see for himself. He used same trick with mirror and got same positive results, which confused him why Katara could think Azula was dead. Was he doing something wrong or did Katara misunderstood something? To be sure princess Azula was still alive Sokka removed the sheet that covered her body and put his ear on her chest to listen for her heartbeat. It was here, barely, and could be easily missed, but still it was here. That confused Sokka even more: how could Katara, a master healer, miss such important thing? As much as he would like to keep the things as it were, Sokka couldn't let this thing happen and let Azula to be burned alive on ceremonial pyre. He made up his mind and went to confront Katara, who was tending to other sick palace residents.

"She is alive!" Sokka told to Katara after she done her job in palace infirmary.

"Who is alive?" Katara asked as if unsure about what Sokka was talking there.

"Azula is still alive." Sokka replied to Katara. "I went to check on her today. She is still alive. There is no need for funeral."

"It must be your imagination Sokka. The princess is dead. Let her rest." Katara stated and tried to move past Sokka, but he grabbed her arm and led her to princess bedroom.

"Check again on her!" Sokka told to Katara and brought her to Azula's room. Katara seeing that there is only one way to stop Sokka pestering her, removed bed sheet covering princess body, raised Azula's pajama to expose her body, and then after summoning water around her arms started to check on Azula. This procedure took several minutes, but when it was done, Katara turned back to Sokka standing near door and told him same thing she told him during the meeting.

"I don't know what ever you did or saw here, but it must have been your illusion. Sorry Sokka, but princess Azula is dead and there is nothing I can do for her. We don't know how this sickness works, but if you are starting to see hallucinations, I suggest you should go with me and we will check if you haven't contracted this decease."

"I am not sick! She still has heartbeat and is alive." Sokka tried to counter his sister.

"Who is the doctor here, Sokka? If I say she is dead it means she is dead! You are wasting my time that I could have instead spent helping other." Katara replied to Sokka and left the room after fixing Azula to leave her in same state as before she entered her room. Sokka was completely lost. He knew what he saw, but at same time Katara's word rung in his head telling the opposite to him. Something was not right here and he needed to find out. If Azula was still alive he couldn't let her getting burned alive because he couldn't live knowing that he did nothing when he could have saved her even if … Sokka decided not to dwell on those thought or bad things could happen. He needed to keep his mind clear if he wanted to solve this puzzle. Luckily he had several days for that and to decide what to do and if he was right and Katara was wrong.

o0o0o0o

Sokka came to conclusion that he was right and Katara was wrong or maybe wanted to dispose of Azula, because she still resented her for what she did to Aang during the war. There were lots of thoughts spinning in his head why Katara wanted Azula to be dead, but Sokka couldn't believe she could do it and instead decided to go with idea that Katara, no matter how good healer she was, have overestimated her abilities and was blissfully unaware that she may be wrong and Azula may be still alive. Sokka couldn't think that his sweet sister could murder someone. So to avoid accidental murder, Sokka decided to take Azula's body with him and leave the palace. After all when there was no corpse there was nothing to burry or burn in this case and no funeral. He couldn't just take her out of her bed and just leave he wouldn't go far. Things didn't work that way. What he needed was a plan and a good one or in two days Azula would become ashes in ceremonial pyre. He wasn't sure if this kidnapping could worsen her condition, but he had to try to do something.

Two days later Sokka was walking, well it was more like sneaking, palace corridors to get to Azula's room to take her with him. The cremation ceremony was scheduled to take place later that day afternoon, a plenty time to get her out before anyone would notice her disappearance. Sokka's black suit perfectly blended with shadows and made him invisible which would be over kill since entire palace staff consisted only of ten Kyoshi warriors with Suki, Katara, and younger healer or in other words the chances to meet someone was almost nonexistent. Sokka was unpleasantly surprised when he found princess room empty and started to run to main palace plaza where Kyoshi warriors were seen gathering wood for Azula's funeral. Sokka hoped he could arrive before it took place. He took mask – he found it in one of many palace rooms – out of his pouch and put it on just in case he needed to fight anyone because he didn't want to be recognized or his entire plan would come to waste. On his way to plaza he managed to run into Katara and they both fell on the ground. Katara was momentary scared seeing blue mask appear out of nowhere and tried to summon the water from her pouch to strike at this sudden foe, but blue spirit was faster and knocked her out with a hit to her head. Sokka momentary thought what to do and dragged Katara into nearby room, lying her on a bed to rest before she recovered, and then continued on his path.

Suki was helping Zuko to stand up and move to main palace plaza where princess Azula awaited her final journey to meet her ancestors. Although she greatly protested about him moving out of his bed, she had to accept the fact that Zuko was unyielding and demanded that funeral should go according to tradition and that fire lord was responsible in setting fire to ritual pyre to take dead relatives. Now she and Zuko were standing near huge pile of wood with princess Azula laid on top of it while one of Kyoshi warriors read through holy scripture. Normally fire sages would do that part, but with all of them sick, it was left upon Kyoshi warriors to take this place. There were only several other Kyoshi warriors attending the ceremony with Katara promising to come there if she could spare some time. The avatar was still out busy looking for spiritual cause and since no one notified him of this new development, he wasn't present here, with his body still meditating in fire temple while his spirit wandered in Spirit world. The reading was finally done and Zuko motioned to help him move forward to say the last words before igniting the pyre and letting Azula on her final journey. They both moved forward before something hit Suki in back of her head and forced them both to tumble on the ground. Suki was out cold when Zuko recovered and was met with familiar view. The blue spirit was here! Zuko's body couldn't take it anymore and shut down joining Suki on the floor unconscious. Sokka moved in and subdued remaining Kyoshi warriors before stepping near huge pile of wood and taking Azula's body. It was time to leave.

Sokka took unconscious Azula to palace stables where Appa was currently staying and put her into cradle. Then when he was sure no one was nearby to see them, he commanded Appa to rouse into air and flew to the outskirt of the island where Sokka had ship waiting for him. The ship in question was small and could be run only by one man. Sokka borrowed it from harbor since no one would use them when everyone were afraid to leave their homes. After taking and caring Azula into the ship, Sokka released Appa and told him to return back to palace, then set of in direction only he known. By that time he was already feeling sleepy and didn't know if it was related to this strange sickness. He managed to navigate ship into deep seas before sleep consumed him and he fell asleep where he stood, letting currents to take then.

Sokka didn't knew how long he was asleep, but when he woke up he found himself still standing behind the wheel with the ship far from any known landmark in open sea. Sokka decided to check on Azula to see if her condition didn't worsened and that she was still alive. He would be extremely disappointed if Azula decided to finally hit the bucket and Sokka would be left with no option, but to do sea funeral for her. He didn't look at that idea and hoped he didn't need to do it. He was relieved when he found that Azula was still alive. Now Sokka needed to think what to do next because he didn't planned to get lots on sea. The night has come with Yue shining bright in the sky. That and the stars helped Sokka to find his current position and he was surprised to find out that he was near Earth kingdom shores, or maybe it was that new republic that born from former colonies. Now that he knew his current position and direction the ship was going it was easy to steer it closer to the shore and into local harbor where life was continuing as usual. Sokka meet up with local healer and asked her to check on his "wife" that suddenly fell ill at the sea. The healer told him that his "wife" was alive and there should be nothing to fear for him – it was mostly because Sokka played the role of panicked husband that only recently got married and didn't want to be widow so early in his life – but also told that she has never saw such case and couldn't find the problem that she could cure. When Sokka inquired who could help his poor wife, the healer offered him direction to go and look for hermit herbalist that lived somewhere on the top of nearby mountain with some runs and that if she couldn't find what plagued his beautiful wife no one could. Sokka was grateful for this information and asked where he could buy any ostrich horse for such journey or any other mean of transportation and was surprised when healer offered him one if he promise to return it back. Several minutes later Sokka took Azula and some supplies and went to pointed direction to find the cure. Since the local healer ensured him that his "wife" was still alive, Sokka was now even surer that Katara overestimated her knowledge as master healer and that it was only fluke that she declared Azula dead.

The journey was slow because Sokka had to hold Azula to make sure she don't fall off from his mount and because Sokka feared that rushing ostrich horse would be sure way for them both fell from it and left to wander the land when his mount run away, but finally he reached his destination or at least what looked like some sign of civilization, huge stairs to the top of mountain. Sokka carefully dismounted, bound his ostrich horse to the pole, picked up Azula in his hands and started long climb upwards since he wasn't sure he could command ostrich horse to move up without dropping Azula from his hands.

o0o0o0o

"Can you help my wife, please? She is sick." Sokka asked old woman sitting in greenhouse with her cat.

"Yes, yes, everyone wants help. Follow me young one." The herbalist left the greenhouse and moved into one of many surrounding building. After the check up was done she told Sokka that there is nothing to worry about and that his wife should be fine before leaving the room where Azula was lying and returned back with bowl of some cream. A medicine.

"You need to apply this to her chest once a day. Make sure you cover all skin from neck to her stomach for best effect and your lovely wife should recover in no time. Normally I would do such thing, but I am too old for this and my arms are no long as good as they previously were and since you are her husband, I see no problem to let you do it for her." The herbalist instructed Sokka, who was standing outside, on Azula's current state before pushing bowl into his hands. "I have never seen such bad case."

Sokka entered the room where Azula was lying on table only in her underwear, put the bowl nearby and thought what to do.

"Everywhere?" Sokka asked unsure of what to do.

"Yes, my dear. Make sure you cover all her chest up to the stomach with this medicine." Herbalist repeated her instruction. "I don't think it should be any problem. Go on do it! Oh you are shy to do it with such old crone like me here, well don't worry I am going to leave now. Show some love to your lovely wife."

Sokka continued to stare at Azula, but when the herbalist left and closed the doors, Sokka's hands slowly and carefully moved to raise Azula and undo her breast wraps while burning from shyness since he never expected to do so. He prayed that Azula wouldn't accidentally woke up and burn him for what he would have to do to help her. After the deed was done he laid her back on table, put his fingers inside the bowl to scoop some medical gel and for the first time laid his eye on topless princess before him. She was truly beautiful! Sokka tried to avoid looking at her breast, but his eyes would continue to return back to them just to glimpse at them. Sokka has never seen naked woman before and not only he had one now before his eyes but will also have to touch her. He was literally burning from shyness and wanted to run out of this room. Sokka conquered his growing shyness and started slowly massage her neck and moving down. Azula's skin was soft and pleasant to touch. Somehow that helped him to relax and continue his job. His hands moved even lower and touched her breasts before starting to massage them. That old lady said he needed to cover it all and he would do so. Sokka took more gel and continued to massage Azula's breast at same time ensuring himself that he was only doing this to help her recover from this strange illness and that there was nothing personal or erotical no matter what his body, mostly his lower half, told him, but for some reason he couldn't lift his eyes and hands from her breasts and they would return there even if he tried to move them somewhere else.

Finally Sokka done covering all Azula's chest with medical gel and went to look for herbalist to learn more about the cause and the cure of this illness. At same time thinking how many of gel he could carry back to Fire nation or maybe even asking for receipt to make it there if it would actually work on Azula.

"All done!" Sokka exclaimed after finding herbalist sitting in one of many building with her cat on her lap. "Can you tell me from what kind of illness suffer my wife?"

"Overdose of žiopliupienis geltonosis, but it's still too early for them to bloom." Herbalist replied while stroking her cat. "Don't worry, it normally would have passed on its own in one or two weeks, but that gel will greatly accelerate her recovery. I have never in my life seen such heavy case; were you drinking or eating them or what?"

"It's a plant of some kind?" Sokka ignored the question since he never heard about such plant nor was he ever interested in any of the grass or anything edible, plants mostly, because he was the meat guy and no plants were growing in barren ice land he called home.

"Yes, it's a rare native plant, but your firebender wife may know it under other name of Nozuhokonor… I see neither name tell you anything so would only say that this plant grows only in one place and all firebender try to avoid it by mile or at least that's what I have heard. Its pollen makes them to fall asleep on spot if they enter that place."

"And that gel is the only way to cure her?" Sokka was unsure how that old lady knew that Azula was firebender because he didn't say anything about it.

"Gel only works when you are outside flowers blooming territory and don't work while inside it. For some reason those flowers only affect firebenders while local populace only get little bit sleepy. It's unknown on watertribe like you." Herbalist looked at Sokka who was a bit surprised and disappointed.

"You were so fast to diagnose it and must have lots of experience with it." Sokka spoke his mind.

"You could say that! When you are old as me you tend to know such stuff, but I mostly remember it because of one special event. Long time ago when me and Miyuki were still young and full of life this medical institution was visited by a group of firebenders that had similar condition. I can remember it like it was today. They were five men three of them had different case of same overdose with 'perfume man' having the worst of it." Herbalist started her story and saw how Sokka's eyebrow popped up mentioning perfume man. "Well … the perfume man wasn't his name or title, I named him that way because he had too much perfume on himself and made my small Miyuki feel bad. The two healthy firebenders threatened to burn everything if we didn't help them so i started to do my job with that medical gel I offered to you. Everything was working fine, until I found that my kitty made a mess on perfume man face. She was young energetic kitten and liked to run and jump anywhere. When I saw that she shit on perfume man face I thought the firebenders would burn us all for such act and rushed to clean it before it was too late, but that same firebender captain came into the room to check on his sick men and saw me and shit on one of his men face. He asked what I was doing and trying to save myself and everyone else I lied that extreme case requires extreme treatment and covered all perfume man's face with shit. The captain asked if there was other way that putting shit on that man face and I once again lied that that it was the only way if they wanted to stay on their schedule. Firebender captain wanted that we healed his people fast so that they wouldn't need to stay here for more than five days. I guess that's what saved me and everyone. Your wife should recover at about same time, but if you want for her to recover faster we can put some shit on her beautiful face too" Old woman laughed and Sokka laughed imagining how stupid Azula would look with shit on her face.

"Please don't put shit on her face or she would kill both of us if she learned about it!" Sokka half joked half seriously stated it.

"After the fourth day every firebender were awake and ready to travel, except perfume man who was still a little bit sleepy. I made sure to remove all shit from his face when I saw the first signs that he was waking up." Herbalist continued her story while Miyuki decided to leave herbalist's lap and somehow managed to jump on Sokka's head. "See she still do it! Where was I? O right the firebenders left and one week later platoon of Earth kingdom soldiers came here looking for firebenders. That is where I learned that one of firebenders or to be precise the perfume man was prince Ozai. I put shit on Fire nation's fire lord face, can you believe it?" The old woman once again started to laugh and Sokka joined her too.

o0o0o0o

It was the third day since Sokka arrived and started to treat Azula and once again he had his hands on Azula's breasts while was covering her chest with medical gel, but unlike previous days, this day was special because today Azula woke up from her long sleep and looked at Sokka scaring the shit out of him.

"Enjoying yourself, peasant?" Azula's eye pierced Sokka, forcing him to stop what he was doing, and tried… and failed to stand up. Her body refused to move even an inch.

"Are you going to kill me?" Sokka asked after recovering Azula's voice and blundered the first thing that came to his mind.

"It depends on what you are going to say next so start explaining! Where we are and more importantly why I am naked and you are groping my boobs!" Sokka was sure that if Azula could kill with her looks, he would be already dead, then he looked at his hand and found that they were squeezing her boobs. He instantly removed them as if they touched something hot and got burned.

"Hmmm … welcome back to the land of living, princess." Sokka replied awkwardly. "I kind of stolen your body before you turned into ash and cinder on ceremonial pyre."

"I was considered dead?" Azula's tone betrayed angst creeping inside her mind and helped Sokka to relax a little bit now that her eyes weren't piercing him through. "I guess I would have to thank you, but you still haven't answered what are you doing with your hands right now?"

"I didn't do anything improper and only applied medicine to you once a day." Sokka tried to sound as calm as possible and failed.

"Well don't stop then! I have to be in top condition to devise proper punishment for you, peasant." Azula smirked at Sokka. "So where are we now? This look like some Earth kingdom place."

"What is the last thing you remember?" Sokka asked Azula and tried to change the theme.

"What is there to say. It was normal day. I went to sleep in the evening and then I woke up here with you enjoying yourself. What has happened when I was sleeping?"

"Entire Fire nation fell asleep with people falling unconscious left and right, in houses or streets. Zuko said it was mostly instant effect. And he summoned us to help him find the cause of this strange sleeping sickness. That's how I got there. Later my sister announced that you have died and everyone decided to go with funeral. I decided to see if you actually hit the bucket and after being greatly disappointed I had to do something to prevent my sister from accidentally killing you, so I stole your body and found someone that would help you. That's how we got here."

"You will live for now and maybe even be useful later. Now finish your job and bring me something to eat I am starving!" Azula commanded Sokka with her usual smirk.

o0o0o0o

Next day has come and Sokka was outside of house since his service was no longer needed and Azula decided to apply medicine on her own even if she was still very weak and could barely move. The sun shine brightly and the weather was nice. It was summer after all. Since Sokka had nothing to do he observed flies dancing in the air when he saw dust cloud approaching his current position and several minutes later he saw its cause. June was here.

"My oh my, just look what we have got here!" June exclaimed after dismounting from her shirsu. "I should have thought something was fishy when your sister contacted me and asked to find dead princess body." Normally June wasn't so talky and took action without waiting for anything, but Sokka's presence here changed her plans.

"I am sorry to announce, but here is no dead princess. You must have been greatly mistake, June." Sokka replied and fully stood up to face her and her beast.

"Oh that's not a problem! I can make it look like dead." June moved several steps forward.

"I advice against it!" Azula appeared on threshold with blue fire in her hand. "That's a fine beast you have, it would be real shame if something has happened to it."

"And here comes the dead princess!" June exclaimed with the smirk seeing that she was right on what was happening here at same time evaluating her chances.

"So what? You two decided to run away and get married? I should have thought you, Sokka, would be somewhere nearby when regent Katara signed that letter." June looked at Sokka and Azula and laughed. "Then I learned that some tribe boy was extremely scared since his wife fell ill on the sea."

"A bounty?" Sokka asked surprised by this new information.

"Yeah! Too bad it is too small to be worth to fight the princess and that entire ruckus it would cause." June looked around to assess the situation. The princess Azula was formidable enemy; the one June didn't want to have on her list. She could fight them, but what good that will do to her and even if somehow she managed to defeat them she was wary if she could hold them prisoners if her shirsu would be greatly injured. Some deals are just not worth the trouble to get the pay and June knew that very well. To find and deliver dead body was easy task, to actually fight that 'dead' body was whole different task. Yes, she had delivered lots of lovers back to their parents or guardians, but no one shoot lightning out of their finger tips and June didn't want to test if she could dodge it.

"Good bye then. I was nice to see you, June." Sokka looked how June turned around, mounted up and disappeared out of his sight. Then and only them he dare to move his eyes to look at Azula and wonder how she managed to stay on her feet and look so strong and confident. Apparently Azula was holding on some secret reserve of strength, but now that June left and Sokka looked at her it all evaporated and Azula fell on the ground. Sokka noted that and rushed to help her stand up and lead her back inside the house.

"You are still weak and need to rest!" Sokka told to Azula after getting her to bed.

"I am fine. Don't worry about me. If your sister really put bounty on my body we can't stay here for long. Next time we may not have such pleasant encounter." Azula tried to counter Sokka before reality hit here. _"How dared that water witch take something that rightfully belonged to her?"_ At same time it also told her that Fire nation was in even bigger ordeal if waterbender was considered as regent. Azula sat in her bed and though how to get out of her current situation.

"So let's get the things straight! First; my nation is paralyzed because of some plant and it should be huge amount of to make everyone asleep. Second; You sister used this chaos to become regent of Fire nation; next she put bounty on my body and now all bounty hunters will be looking for us. Lastly I can't enter my own nation or I would fell asleep instantly. Did I miss something?"

"Nothing. You get everything right!" Sokka nodded at Azula.

"Fan-freaking-tastic!" Azula rouse her hands in the air and several seconds later fell to lie in her bed.


	2. Playing with Fire Partners in crime

"So what are you thinking?" Sokka asked after entering room where Azula was sitting on her bed concentrated and deep inside her thoughts. He was looking for good way to start conversation with her after he has explained their current situation and she withdrew to her inner world in her head to scheme, or at least that's what Sokka thought, but couldn't think of anything smart and after standing near her side for several minutes, he decided to go with basic and hoped it would work.

"The scale of this disaster and what it could mean for Fire nation." Azula returned from her journey inside her head and answered after moving her head to face Sokka. "If what you say is true it could only mean one thing and one thing only. Someone deliberately did it to sabotage my nation. Those actions should normally be followed with military campaign to enforce your will, but you said you were there for several weeks and nothing has happened and that make no sense. What other reason there could be? With the current state of Fire nation you could easily subdue it without shedding any blood. A perfect victory! Yet your story contradicts it because nothing has happened there. I thought about it being simply random accident, but if that was true only one island would be affected by it and not entire country. Someone couldn't just import lots of flowers without anyone noticing their ill effects on local populace. And we once again return back to idea that someone deliberately decided to sabotage because it would need lot of time and money to get so much flowers in one spot… Eeeeeee the more I think about it the less sense it all make." Azula stood up and started to pace around before sitting back on her bed. Both, Sokka and Azula, decided to stay one more day with herbalist so that Azula could recover before they decided to leave this place and fight any bounty hunter that would go after her body.

"I think you need to stop thinking about that notzuko plant and get something to eat." Sokka offered her plate with food.

"Its Nozuho, and not Not zuko, but I guess you could say they are synonymous to each other." Azula replied to Sokka and saw that he was cluesless about it and instead decided to make pun about her brother. While it would be funny some other time, now she needed to think how to help her nation and seeing that Sokka had no knowledge about it she decided to elaborate more. "Nozuho was an explorer that spent most of his time mapping west and north regions of Earth kingdom long before the war was started and everyone were still on good terms. Then during one of his expeditions he separated from main group and got lost. Month passed before locals found him sleeping in field of flowers. Nozuho didn't know how much time has passed and thought that it was still same day. When he returned back to fire nation he claimed that he found new kind of flower that was extremely beautiful, but had no evidence to prove it. Its enemies and rivals decided to use this and started to laugh that he fell asleep in field of flowers because they were so beautiful. Nozuho spent the rest of his life looking for that spot wasting all his fortune before going completely mad and his family locked him in asylum. To say it short, he became failure, laughing stock of scientist community and no one took him serious anymore. To put more salt on the wound they finally approved his request and named that flower after him so that they could make more jokes at his expense. His grandson, who was earthbender, managed to track that location and bring proof such plant actually exist when he smuggled its saplings and made all scientist in council to fall sleep. After that every firebender tried to avoid that place by several dozen miles especially during the war."

"That's some story!" Sokka stated after Azula finished her story. "It would have been very bad if entire army fell asleep marching through that place and then earthbenders would have made short work of them."

"So what do think we should do now?" Sokka asked her several minutes later.

"It's obvious that we need to return back to Fire nation and remove the source of this sleeping sickness even if that mean I could fall asleep the very moment we get there. The herbalist said they bloom only several weeks before starting to grow berries." Azula stated her mind.

"More like you interrogated her!" Sokka voiced his observation and saw how Azula's eyes pierced him.

"I needed to know every little detail about them and how to counter them."

"Whatever you say princess! Just don't over think yourself."

o0o0o0o

Next day has come and after Sokka and Azula said their good byes they decided to leave the place and move out. Sokka offered to let her sit in front of him, but she declined that offer saying that she wouldn't let him grope her and that instead she should sit at his back to make sure he has no silly ideas and could punish him if he did something wrong or … maybe because she wanted to have her arms around him instead of letting him to do so since they had only one ostrich horse.

"So what's the deal with you telling everyone we are married, peasant?" Azula asked Sokka after they cleared the mountain and no one was around to hear them.

"That … it was just a cover. Nothing but cover! It would be strange and suspicious if anyone known I was dragging some random girl I barely knew, but since people thought we were married they just dismissed it as normal thing. Some even thought it was sweet that a husband carried for his ill wife. If you don't like it that much we can get "divorced" after all this is done." Sokka decided to joke and lift the mood. IT was a little bit strange with Azula sitting behind him all silent as if she planned his demise.

"One doesn't simply divorce a princess." Azula stated calmly.

"Well if you don't want to get divorced them we should continue with this act and maybe even do some activity." Sokka laughed that the last point.

"Yeah, the one where I become widow should fit you nicely." Sokka heard Azula laugh and fear run through his body since he wasn't sure if she was being serious or was just joking and was a little big afraid to ask about it.

"Very well then my lovely wife, let's go and find a ship for us to reach your glorious Fire nation."

o0o0o0o

Sokka returned back to the harbor and returned ostrich horse to healer who was happy her direction helped his wife to recover and offered for them to stay in her brother's inn until he has returned from trip since he used Sokka's ship to deliver medicine to other town and should be returning soon. Sokka was happy to stay there while Azula remained calm and silent about it all.

Azula and Sokka were walking through harbor town and looking if there was anything useful in local merchant wares while at same time trying to gather any information or rumors about Fire nation when a hand grabbed Azula and forced her to stop.

"Bigx, I have found them!" The assailant screamed while Azula tried to free herself and after several seconds later she managed to do so. Sokka didn't slept either and instead turned toward offender with his fists ready and hit him straight in face forcing that man to fall on the ground. Sokka wanted to jump on him and knock him out but noticed how everyone eyes were on them while that unlucky man wringed on the ground stunned by such sudden attack. Both, Sokka and Azula, decided to leave the scene, but after few steps stopped for second before continuing on their way when they saw huge bulky man coming their way with two henchman. It was better to continue on their journey in normal pace than run aside. If you acted like you belonged here no one would look at you strangely and would ignore, but if they saw you running it would instantly look suspicions and draw unneeded attention.

Several steps further Sokka and Azula meet up with bulky man they saw several minutes earlier and had to stop since he and his henchman were blocking the way. Sokka wasn't sure which of three men could be Bigx and instead decided that it was their leader who currently was comparing Azula to wanted poster in his arm. At same time the man that previously assaulted Azula, stood up and walked to stand behind her.

"I am telling you, man, this is the one we are looking!" He explained while covering his bloody nose with one hand.

"Is there a problem, sir? I and my wife were walking a street when we were attacked and had to defend." Sokka looked at Bigx and asked.

"That bastard broke my nose!" Man behind Sokka screamed.

"It's more likely it still hasn't healed properly from the last time." Bigx looked past Sokka and at one of his lackeys then turned his gaze upon Sokka and Azula as if measuring them. "I am sorry for any inconvenience my brother may caused for you. Please accept my sincerely apology."

"I am telling you it's them! I saw them walk out of healer's office!" Man behind him shouted still covering his bloody nose.

"Like I said. I am sorry for any trouble my brother may have caused. This is the third time in the week he mistake someone and for what they aren't and got bloody nose." Both, Sokka and Azula, were a bit surprised by this information and this sudden turn of fate before their attention were drawn back to Bigx when he started to speak once again. "It's clearly stated that we need to look for dead princess body and not her look alike. You pretenders made our job very hard lately."

"Will we have anymore problem because of this? Is that because of that wanted poster?" Azula asked in her singsong voice.

"Oh I know your kind! You should have seen how many fake avatars we had met and had to release during the war when we found out they were fake. It's clear that you pretend to be dead princess Azula while your husband looks like that war hero that bragged too much sarcasm about pointy stick. What was his name now … Sokula, Sakura, Sokkla… Sokka … yes Sokka. You are strange couple for sure." Bigx rolled wanted poster and put it back into his pocket.

"The princess is dead?" Sokka looked surprised and turned to face Azula. "Looks like we no longer will get any discount anymore honey! That's so bad! But why do you have wanted poster of dead princess?"

"Yeah that's bad for people like you. Some overzealous princess lover gone even so far that he/she, no one really knows who it really was, managed to snack her dead body. Still can't believe someone managed to do such impossible heist. It's clear that new fire lord is too lax in his duties. No trespasser could get near Fire nation's royal palace or even steal a pebble or anything from it when previous fire lords reigned!"

"Well thank you for this information good sir." Sokka thanked his good luck or maybe it was Azula's good luck because his good luck was sleeping most of time, yep, definitely it was Azula's good luck. "Say … you look like something I saw while I served in military. Don't you pretend as someone too?" Sokka turned his head to as if exploring man's features. "Aaaa… now I see it! It's a bit misleading without the rhino, but you look alike bulkier version of famous colonel Mongke."

"Oh! You noticed it? Yes, I try to look and be as badass as him, but my lovely wife makes so delicious sausages that I just can't stop eating them!" Bigx replied while rubbing his hands around his stomach. "Too bad she doesn't let me get one of those beasts and instead claims that their only purpose is to be put into sausages. She is a butcher so I can understand why she would look at them that way, but those beasts are truly majestic and look badass!"

"I agree with your wife. The rhinos grown in Earth kingdom or former colonies are weak and only useful for sausages. If you want real war beast that is well trained you need to go to Curved horn's island in Fire nation. It supplies all beasts to royal cavalry, like the one Mongke ride. IT will be expensive and will cost some fortune, but surely such successful bounty hunter like you can afford it. Normally they don't sell it to anyone, but if you tell them that princess let you get one they may even give you discount!" Azula winked "If you know what I mean."

"Oh I know it very well. Well good luck. Bye." Both parties separated and moved in opposite directions.

"That went better than I thought!" Sokka exclaimed when no one was nearby to hear them. When they were stopped by those bulky men, he prepared himself to attack them and run away, but now was glad he didn't need to resort to such extreme tactic.

"I knew I was famous, but never imagined that people would dress up and pretend me." Azula answered to Sokka. "Oh well, can't blame them if they try to emulate perfection!"

"I don't think it would be wise to stay here longer than day because next time we wouldn't be so lucky and may even need to fight." Sokka voiced his concerns and Azula answered with a nod.

o0o0o0o

The night has come. Sokka and Azula packed their stuff, left the note on bed and left the inn. It was black night, not even Yue was shining through dark clouds, and that made for perfect time to sneak past dockyard guards to steal the ship. It was easy. Sokka and Azula already knew which ship to take – their small excursion through dock helped a lot to choose their target – so without any trouble they untied the ropes and were on their way deeper into the sea with Sokka standing at helm alert for any trouble and need to change course at the moment's notice. He almost wanted to scream "Yo ho ho a pirates life for me", but Azula put her hands over his mouth and silenced him, commanding him to remain silent with her finger at her lips.

"What is this strange contraption?" Azula looked at something that looked like it was mix between fire nation helmet and some kind of blue mask, but there were some modifications do to it.

"It's a helmet. Put it on. We are reaching the capital and you are already feeling sleepy. This should help you to get less exposure to pollen." Sokka take it from Azula's hand and put it on her head instead, to make sure it fit perfectly. "As a side effect it will muffle your voice and if you want to say something you may need to scream for me to hear you."

"You better hope this thing works!" Azula growled inside that helmet and momentary Sokka thought he heard spirit talk to him.

o0o0o0o

When they arrived at capital harbor town, Sokka was welcomed by familiar view of empty streets and it looked like that strange sickness was still plaguing everyone living here. They disembarked and moved to toward dock master's office, because that was the place where record of everything arriving or leaving were held and found that place empty like everything around them.

"We need to find imported plant register and see if anyone received any major shipments recently." Azula commanded Sokka and they both went to work running through shelves filled with scrolls, books, and other papers. Several minutes later Azula draw huge book and put it on table.

"Let's check last three month to be sure we don't miss anything." Azula stated after opening book on specific page and pointed at it. Sokka knew that lots of goods were flowing into Fire nation, but only now he truly understood just how much went there. They run through thirty page just for one month. Everything was documented to the smallest gram.

"Nothing!" Azula exclaimed her frustration at the lack of results. "Only local flowers were moved from and to different islands, nothing suspicious or anything; no sapling too." She was sure that if anyone wanted to import them it should have done so it in the last three months.

"I will look for any seed register." Sokka replied to Azula.

"Good, I will see if there is any earlier record. I am sure there should be something." Azula acknowledged Sokka.

"I found nothing! This looks like a waste of time. Are you sure this is the right place?" Sokka asked Azula after he found the book and finished reading all its records without any results.

"This should be the right place, check any other record… Hello! About half year ago a package has arrive from Ba Sing Se and was delivered to palace. There is note that this was tea plants from general Iroh to fire lord Zuko."

"Well if there is nothing else this is good clue to start." Sokka replied to Azula before putting books back in their places.

"How likely it is that Iroh accidentally caused all this?" Sokka asked Azula unsure of what to think about it.

"That old fool is going senile!" It was the only reply he got.

With the island residents still asleep it took some time to reach palace since they had to move on foot instead in carriage or palanquin, but no one complained. The palace looked now even emptier since it remaining inhabitants, Suki and Kyoshi warriors, most likely also succumbed to the sleep sickness.

"Ok, here the records confirms that packaged has arrived and Zuko ordered for them to be planted in royal garden, but no mention where or how many of them were. How will we found them?" Sokka asked after finishing to reach through one of many reports.

"Don't worry, it shouldn't be problem!" Azula smirked and they left royal scribe office in palace and moved toward exit.

o0o0o0o

"Vandalism of Royal gardens is quick way to get one way ticket to the rock. On the other hands its complete destruction … well no one was so bold or stupid to try it yet. Endless generations of royal family members tended and carried for it with guards to keep everyone that wasn't invited from entering it. Oh well!" Azula smirked after igniting blue flames in both her hands.

"Oh no you wouldn't!" Sokka shouted in disbelief.

"Oh yes! I do!" He heard Azula's reply before she run away setting everything on fire. Several minutes later he stood at gates looking into inferno dancing nearby and Azula dancing inside it. It was both horrifying and mesmerizing at same time. Only Sokka knew that it was Azula under that strange helmet, for anyone else it would look like there was blue fire spirit dancing and consuming everything in her path. The garden was burning and there was no one or no thing that could stop them now.

"Monkey feathers, what is happening here? Spirit what ill we made to cause you rage so much!" Sokka was shocked when he felt someone grab his arm because it was so sudden and unexpected. It took couple minutes for him to recover and see that his friend Aang was standing nearby and was ready to start extinguish the flame after the nearby 'spirit' refused to answer his question.

"Nothing's you need to worry about, just Azula being her normal pyromaniac self." Sokka draw Aang's attention from raging inferno. He couldn't understand how he could say it so calmly while standing near raging inferno and it even looked like he was enjoying it and wanted to dance with her in it.

"Sokka?" The young avatar was unsure whose voice he just heard and turned around to look for his friend, but saw only that same spirit standing nearby. He blinked and in several seconds later saw his friend after Sokka removed his helmed.

"You mean to tell me that spirit is Azula? Did she become spirit or what? I knew there was something wrong at her funnel, but … should we stop her? She will burn everything!" Aang was panicking with the fires growing larger and completely covering Azula's body.

"Nah! Let her do her job. There is nothing to worry about. You better tell me what was happening here." Sokka casually put his hand on Aang's shoulder and moved him away from fire. "Trust me there is nothing the mighty avatar needs to worry."

"But she will burn everything!" Aang was still concerned with fires raging nearby.

"That's the plan!" Sokka smiled and lied Aang inside palace "and Azula is perfect person to execute it. You better tell me why my sister is regent of Fire nation?"

"I don't know anything since I was busy in spirit word and then I returned back I found her already as regent of Fire nation. Zuko, Suki, and some other Kyoshi warriors were already affected and sleeping. I fear Katara was too exposed to it and is affected by it too. Are you sure everything will be ok?" Aang turned around to once again to face raging fire tornado in what previously was royal garden but now was just a huge fire wall with fire threatening to consume everything in its path.

"Absolutely!"

o0o0o0o

After Azula did her deed and set entire garden on fire, she moved inside palace to look for Sokka and where that fool went. The corridors were dimly lit because of lack of any source of fire and she was exhausted to ignite nearby torches. No one needed light here anyway. Maybe that was why when she saw silhouette move in nearby corridor she assumed it was Sokka and decided to find him. But it wasn't him! It was something better, his sister Katara and the way she moved Azula was sure that Katara was suffering from huge lack of sleep or exhaustion. It was too good opportunity to pass to mess with her.

"Katara!" Azula growled forcing Katara to turn around and look for that voice source.

"You wanted me dead, Katara!" Katara looked around still unsure what was talking with her or from where those sounds were coming.

"Who is there?" Katara asked the darkness that surrounded her.

"You have killed me and now I have returned to take you with me!" Blue fires ignited nearby and illuminated blue creature.

"Who are you?" Katara asked with vibrating voice and opened her water pouch to defend herself.

"Your water wouldn't work on dead!" Azula answered with howling voice. She was having so much fun right now.

"Azula? You shouldn't be here. You are dead!" Katara spoke with trembling voice and took several steps back when Azula stepped forward.

"You have killed me and now I came back to take you with me, but don't worry you wouldn't be alone there. I already got your brother Sokka waiting for you there." Azula played with Katara.

"Sokka? No! He couldn't be dead. He most likely went to find some meat! You lie spirit!" Katara was now standing with her back to the wall and there was nowhere to move back when Azula once again stepped forward.

"Let's summon your brother!" Azula exclaimed and at same time as if hearing his name Sokka appeared behind Azula and addressed them both.

"Azula, Katara. …" He couldn't finish what he wanted to say because Katara fall unconscious on the ground and he rushed forward to check on her.

"Well that was fun." Azula laughed looking at Katara lying on the ground. Sokka wanted to say something but decided to remain silent, picked Katara and moved her to lie in nearby room after making sure she was still alive.

"Did you really had to do that?" He asked Azula while facing her later.

"She deserved it for anything she wanted to do to me or would you rather preferred if I set her on fire too?" Azula smirked at Sokka and was sure of her victory since Sokka decided to remain silent.

o0o0o0o

"It looks like the local volcanic soil, heat and temperature, were critical elements that let those flowers to overgrow and deposit extreme amount of pollen enough to knock down everyone on the island and the wind currents spread them through entire archipelago." Sokka explained everything to Aang who was sitting nearby still in disbelief of what Sokka was saying or maybe because Sokka was sitting next to Azula and was wasn't singed or burn to ashes.

"Could you create a tornado or some heavy winds to blow out all remaining pollen?" Aang recovered after Sokka asked this question.

"Just make sure the islands are still there after you done it!" Azula added her two cents to Sokka's idea since she knew very well how destructive the avatars could be. Then she moved into fire lord's chambers and took the royal crown from the locker. She couldn't let some random peasant to run her country.

o0o0o0o

"So it was all spirit work?" Zuko asked Sokka after he has woke up several days later and wanted to know what he had missed or why Azula was wearing his crown.

"Yeah! It was mean blue spirit that was enraged because some disgraced fool used her image to terrorize locals in her name and against her wishes just before the war has ended, but only now it could pass through the border and into our world. It also babbled something about that fool becoming fire lord as the last drop in the overflowing cup of her rage and something about honor. Do you know anything about it?" Sokka looked at Zuko and asked his question as an afterthought before continuing with the story. "So when I finally managed to track that trouble maker, it already had your sister and the avatar in its hands and there was nothing else left for me but to bravely attack it knowing that everyone depended on me. I unsheathed my trusty space sword and rushed to subdue it. By that time the garden was already on fire and there was no time to be wasted so after landing several hits I threw my trusty boomerang and whack a pow boom that spirit lies smoked dead in its place. That's how I saved everyone. After the spirit was no more Aang summoned huge tornado to blow out the fires with Azula helping him and later she decided to make herself interim fire lord since you we still sleeping and mumbling about your lack of honor." Sokka finished his story with a laugh. Well he was the only one laughing while Zuko was unsure if his friend was joking or not. Aang looked unaffected by this story while Azula controlled her body not to giggle.

"Aang can you confirm any of this?" Zuko turned to face avatar and asked his question because … Azula always lies and there would be no point in asking her if this insane story was real and she may even make it look like he was the one that caused this disaster.

"Sokka is exaggerating it as always, but yes it all was just a mean spirit's work and if anything it was I and your sister that fought and defeated it. The royal garden was already consumed by fire when we finished. Later Azula used the situation that you were unfit to rule and declared herself interim fire lord, since she is the only one fit and Iroh was staying in Ba Sing Se all this time, but after you recovered she promised to return crown back to you." Aang explained his view of the story. "The fire sages were insistent that if old general wasn't at home when this disaster happened, he can stay where he was and let Azula get what she wanted."

"I thought as much." Zuko sighed and was glad that this disaster has passed with minimal loses and the only thing he needed to worry now was to fully recover to get back his throne. Sokka offered to stay in fire nation to observe Azula and to make sure she didn't do anything bad until Zuko has recovered and got back to his duty as fire lord.

"Well don't over exhaust yourself Zuzu and go back to sleep in bed! As for the crown… I will decide when you are ready to get back to your duty. We surely don't want to anger any more spirits by ignoring your superior orders or misbehaving in any way" Azula smirked while sitting nearby and was enjoying this little tale Sokka was spinning around Zuko and how foolish her brother was to believe all that nonsense. She wanted to tell the truth and laugh at how stupid he and uncle were to cause this disaster, but decided to keep her mouth shut and enjoy the show. After all it was easier to let peasants to blame some random spirit than letting same peasants to know that the fire lord was to be blamed and demand compensation for it, and looks like Sokka knew that too.


	3. Lies or Bad Joke

**Lies /or/ Bad Joke**

"Fuck you!" Azula screamed at Sokka's face, but Sokka didn't want to relent and answered her with same words.

"Fuck you!" Sokka screamed at Azula.

"No! Fuck you!" Azula was adamant and stood in her place unmoving.

"No! Fuck you!" Sokka answered her with same stance and poked her chest with his finger aggressively.

"No! Fuck me!" Azula changed her tone while poking Sokka's chest with her finger and instantly received the reply.

"No! Fuck me!" Sokka shouted from the top of his lungs.

"Will you both stop fucking around here and act like normal people! We have an issue on our hands." Zuko tried to stop them before anything bad has happened.

"No! Fuck you!" Both Sokka and Azula screamed at same time while turning to face Zuko and their hands simultaneously rouse into air and hit Zuko in face knocking him out cold and then they once again turned to face each other and it looked like realization has finally hit them of what kind of nonsense they were babbling here and pointed their hands at each other at same time once more while simultaneously asking same question.

"Fuck me?" They starred at each other for a minute before Sokka stepped forward and kissed Azula. Azula was content with this and answered to his kiss. This was the clue that Toph should leave the room. She grabbed Zuko's leg and dragged him out of the room with one hand while another hand grabbed Katara's collar whom was petrified and couldn't move and at same time focusing her seismic sense to somewhere else except this room with two angry fucks inside it.

"I can't believe it worked!" Sokka laughed after ending kiss with Azula when they were left alone in the room.

"My thoughts exactly! Let's go see your fool friends." Azula smirked at Sokka.

o0o0o0o

"What just happened?" Katara asked unsure of how to feel about what she several minutes ago before she recovered and realization hit her.

"Isn't it obvious? They fuck each other!" Toph answered bluntly. "What did you expected when you put two fucks in same room?"

"I really don't know. Their arguing turned into shouting and later screaming so fast that I thought they would rather rip each other throats that start to make out." Katara tried to fish needed words to try to express her mind, but that mental image of Azula and Sokka shouting and later making out in front of her wouldn't leave her mind and hampered her ability to think clearly.

"Well Sparky will need to think of new ways to settle disputes between him and his sister now that Azula and Sokka fuck each other since now Sokka would side with her and if he sided with Zuko, Azula would give zero fuck to him." Toph answered roughly and then laugh filled the room. "Did I used enough fucks in one sentence? No? Ok then its fucking fuck!"

"Did you really thought we were about to start fucking right there?" Azula asked when she and Sokka entered the room.

"You didn't?" Both Katara and Toph asked surprised.

"Zuko asked to settle dispute and I after thinking of best solution i did it just that." Sokka replied with smug smile.

"You enjoyed this too much to your liking peasant. Next time you wouldn't get away so easily." Azula answered his unspoken question and licked her upper lip as if trying to remember how it felt to kiss this fool.

"Sokka! What did I tell you about making bad jokes like this?" Katara scolded her brother. "Anything that has to do anything with Azula is bad joke!"

"Oh relax sis, I know it perfectly." Sokka stated it with calm tone. "I should be biggest fool to do any fucking with Azula."

"It's complete nonsense to think that I would dare to do anything with your fool brother!" Azula replied casually. "You all are beyond me!" She stated before leaving the room leaving Sokka with angry Katara and surprised Toph in it before sneaking note into his pocket when no one noted.

Sokka had to endure all hour of Katara lecturing him how crazy and evil Azula is and how stupid it was to joke that he would do anything with her and after he was left alone in the room, Sokka put his hand in his back pocket to retrieve the note and read it: "Tonight at garden".


	4. Blood

**Blood**

"So… how is Zuko?" Sokka asked Azula when he met her after games, wanting to know any news about her brother's health. There was an accident while playing football where Zuko was injured and had to be transported to hospital.

"He is in emergency room, but doctors say he will live." Azula calmly answered Sokka's question.

"Emergency!? What?! Someone just kicked him in the leg. It shouldn't be that bad!" Sokka was shocked by this revelation.

"Yes, he is in an emergency room put on life support till he wakes up. Yes, I know its kind of strange, but … what did you expect. You saw how everything started." Azula stated with calm tone and momentary Sokka thought he was talking with Mai.

"Did they break his neck or what? I saw how hard it was to pick him up when he was put on stretcher. Zuko literally kissed other player's ass four times because its carrier picked him wrong when they tried to pick him up from the ground in hurry and Zuko's head ended up between other player's legs and kissed its groin more time any man should have in their life until he managed to cover his face with his arms to avoid that horrible sight." Sokka recounted the event that happened during football game. It ranged from odd to horrific, all depending on who you would ask about it. For those that don't know football is a well known game where you use your foot to kick ball all time and not some nonsense where people carry ball at all time like it was some precious thing.

"Yeah and if you remember the carriers where rushing Zuko out of field so fast that they stumbled onto something and fell on the ground… twice and had to redo it! By that time Zuko had more problems than just painful and sprained leg! You saw how they tossed him to the ground after clearing playfield. It must have hurt!" Azula replied half joking half serious and Sokka couldn't understand how to feel about it all. That day looked like huge mess!

"And… ?" Sokka was unsure how to express his thoughts and at same time he was curious of what has happened later that day.

"The medic that checked on Zuko suspected broken bone and called for ambulance. It's unsure if Zuko broke his leg before or during his journey out of playfield. You had to return back to field, but I went with my brother and saw what happened next. The medics put Zuko on their wheeled bed or whatever you call that strange contraption, but they must have been too fast in their hurry… once again... and Zuko fell out right on concrete! The medics noted it and helped Zuko to get back on wheeled bed, but this time they strapped him to it so that it wouldn't 'repeat' again. Then everything was ok and medic managed to successfully reach ambulance. I and my mom decided to go with it too. It looked like our troubles has ended, but once the ambulance started to drive, Zuko's bed started to roll and rolled out of ambulance and Zuko hissed cold concrete… again!"

"WHAT?!" Sokka was now even more shocked by it.

"That's right! Someone must have forgotten to properly close the doors or something and Zuko was once again in the world of pain. The medics stopped and apologized for it before picking my brother once again, but that isn't the worst that has happened that day because later on our journey to hospital, the ambulance never made to it and instead got in to accident when some fool hit us and forced the ambulance to jump down from overpass right in to the traffic bellow. Mom was the first to fall out of ambulance and hit her head hard on the road. She now has amnesia and doctors are unsure if she ever recovers. Zuko and his bed rolled out soon after it causing even more chaos before another car hit him. Half of his face was completely ruined so badly that everyone were too shocked to help him. It was a bloody mess!" Azula told her story like it was just a simple thing that happened everyday while Sokka's jaw hit the floor.

"Are you ok? You were in that same ambulance too." Sokka was worried about Azula and wanted to know if she was injured and didn't tell him.

"Me? Not a scratch! The medics were surprised by it, but still asked to go to hospital for check up." Azula smirked.

"Damn! That's a luck!"

"Yes. After all I was born lucky, while Zuko was lucky to be born!" Azula smirked once again and continued her story. "Several minutes later several ambulances came and drove everyone to hospital and that is where the final accident has happened to Zuko when his leg got stuck between closing lift doors. Don't worry he will live. The medics asked if I could give blood if they would need it for Zuko's surgery, but I said I couldn't since I have same blood group like my father while Zuko has same like my mother."

"What about your uncle? I heard he has the same blood type like Zuko and could give it." Sokka asked Azula.

"Nah, while that fool may have the same blood type, he is also consuming so much tea everyday that I wouldn't be surprised if doctors actually found more tea than blood in his veins."

"Well … That's one hell of bad day for him!" Sokka was unsure how to feel about it all.

"I couldn't agree more. Father smelled money and now is running with the lawyers and suing everyone he could for this mess while leaving me alone at home."

"Alone you say? Well, if you are not busy, how about we go to movie this evening and maybe later even do personal check up to make sure you have no bruise anywhere?" Sokka asked wanting to change the topic. It was too painful to listen to everything that has happened to Zuko today.

"Sound fine to me. Pick me up at 8. I need to clear my head."


	5. Awkward

**A.N. Sokkla week 2018 Awkward**

"Sokka, Azula, I ... I have something to talk about with you." Niko addressed two students that worked as posers for her.

"I am thankful that you helped me to overcome my art block and paint couples once again and because of that I would like to talk with you about new commission request I got recently."

"We were glad to help you, madam." Azula replied gracefully.

"Yeah and the money you paid for us to stay in one place for hours was nice too." Sokka added after her and got hit in the shoulder.

"Like I said I got huge commission request but it isn't ordinal request. Apparently someone notice my works and decided offer me nice sum if I agreed to paint some couples doing some weird shit." Niko looked at her two friends.

"Weird… shit? We never heard you address any commissions you take up as something like that." Azula looked concerned.

"Just want kind of weird shit your new commissioner want you to draw? Blood, gore, …" Sokka asked and raised one eyebrow.

"Let's just call its not safe for work… or study; something that if it came on your computer and professor saw it during its lecture it could cause a lot of trouble for anyone. Someone named Pervy tree elf asked me to draw boy and girl having good time and … fucking each other in different positions."

"Fucking …"

"Each other …"

"You want us to … fuck while you draw us… well I am not against it." Sokka smiled at that idea and then Azula hit him in the back of his head.

"I don't think that's what she had in mind" Azula replied after putting Sokka in his place.

"No, no, no, It's nothing like that. The pictures may be about people doing stuff, but you wouldn't need to do it. You would only need to be in your underwear and take up position and put your arms and legs in right spots, but nothing more. Uhmm… tell me if I should reject it or not." Niko was nervous and blushing while talking about it.

"I will support any decision you make, madam." Sokka replied with smile.

"Of course you will, you wouldn't miss opportunity to grope me. As longs as we remain professional about it and don't do anything else, I don't see why I should refuse… but if I feel your arms or legs in places where it shouldn't be, I will break them on spot. Is that clear, Sokka?" Azula smirked at Sokka and saw how he tried to shrink down.

"I see nothing bad in that and in fact gypsum could help him keep his pose even better." Niko smirked at Sokka too and Sokka felt like he was mouse stuck between two cats ready to pounce on him.

"I will notify this "Prevy tree elf" that I accepted his order and we can start at it tomorrow."


	6. Secret

**A.N. Sokkla week 2018 Secret**

"Hey, fool! Yes I am talking with you, fool! Can you keep a secret?" Azula shouted to Sokka trying to get his attention… and it worked. Sokka moved toward her with his curiosity peaked. What kind of secret this scary crazy girl would want to share with him? The number of firecrackers she throw per day, or maybe about that time she rigged deputy chair,… There were lots of thought running through his mind each one scarcer and weirder then the previous. So when Sokka was standing before her, she leaned forward and whispered into his ear:

"I love you!" Sokka was standing in his place and tried to process what he has just heard then his eyes went wide from surprise then as if working on its on Sokka's legs started to tremble and he ran away.

"If you tell anyone what i just said to you, you can consider yourself dead for I will find you and end you!" Azula shouted at leaving Sokka while laughing and enjoying this little show she just performed.

"Niko, what kind of weird shit did you just told to this poor boy to scary him so bad that he ran away so fast?" A girl standing nearby asked Azula because she was unsure of what to think about this entire situation.

"Well , Minene, you betted that I couldn't scare a boy in ten minutes without my firecracker, but by the way he run away so fast from us I can say that I managed to do it in one and now it's time for you to pay up!" Azula smirked at defeated girl.

"Fine, but I get you next time." Minene handed over lost sum that Niko quickly accepted and put into her purse.

o0o0o0o

"This isn't happening!" Sokka was talking to himself. It just couldn't happen! No, no, no, it couldn't, for if it was truth then his life would end soon one way or another. Why one of the meanest, scariest and smartest girls could say something utterly crazy like that? This couldn't happen! He was just a simple boy with long life ahead of him but now that crazy girl destroyed it with one sentence. Why? How?

Niko was scary crazy girl with devious streak for fire. Chemistry was one of her favorite lesions especially if it made things combust in flames, burn, even more if they were blue, - burning selenium was one of her favorite flames, - or produce explosions like pouring water into concentrated sulfur acid. No one did it… but her… and Sokka was unlucky to be her partner this year. That being said during entire year Sokka had to change ten shirts and five pants – and that not counting all the lab cloaks - after they were ruined when Niko decided to play with chemicals more than the teacher let them, on the other hands he and Niko had the best marks from chemistry in entire school.

It was crazy to think about what she whispered him and even scarier if someone would learn about him. If only this year could end sooner and he could finish the school and get done with it, but there still were a couple months left and exam session before he could be free. That is if he survived that long. The secret Niko told him will be the end of him. As if to make things even worse his mind decided to play tricks on him and made him remember all times when firecracker went nearby and he could heard Niko giggling nearby, and then his brains connected the dots…

Azula was living undercover after she and brother testified against her father and because of that they were issued new identity by witness program, but that didn't made witness program's officers life easy, mostly because Azula had a pyromaniac streaks. The assigned mental council decided that that was one of the consequences of bad upbringing and harmful parenting she experienced and was dealing with it in her own way. The mental council decided to let it slide away so long as no one was badly hurt or set on fire. That being said miss Azula Agni, there was fire even in her surname, was mischievous girl and knew just how much she could bend the rules before she broke then and it turned against her. It was her last and the only year at new school after she was transferred there, but she quickly managed to join a mean girl group that acted like they were prettiest and best girl with everyone beneath them or as others called them, the mean bitches. But it didn't last long. Azula or Niko as she was currently known was indeed prettiest, smartest and meanest girl, but at same time was also mischievous with full purse of firecrackers and no fear to use them against anyone even the director of this school. Both Azula and the group she was hanging out agreed that it wasn't place for Azula to stay there,- Azula was socially awkward person,- so she left them and joined a crazy weirdoes group that ignored firecrackers going off under their chairs. The boys would be smitten by her beauty and intelligence if not for constant fear that she could do something terribly bad for them and get away with it.

It was also one of the reasons why Azula was so calm to reveal her secret to one special boy. No one would believe him even if he told everyone. It was a destiny or maybe another explosives loving girl that betted her to scare a random guy. So Azula picked the one she knew both with her mind and heart, but never dared to tell him how she actually felt about him.


	7. Autumn

**A.N. Sokkla week 2018 Autumn**

It was an autumn. The leaves were falling from the trees and temperature was dropping to colder levels. Azula was sitting in the park and watching people pass by or maybe she was secretly observing, some would even say stalking someone. There in the distance Sokka was raking leaves and after several minutes there was huge pile standing before him. Sokka was very proud of this job. After the job was done he put his tools away and jumped right into freshly made pile of leaves.

 _"_ _What a fool!"_ Azula looked and thought about him. Sokka was having lots of fun in that dirt pile and it even scared Zuko, who was sitting nearby when huge leaves cloud descended upon him, and make him freak out. Mai even smiled at her boyfriend's misfortune. Everyone was having fun … well everyone except for Azula who was sitting some distance away from those fools, but even she smiled when that misfortune happened to Zuko. When Zuko thought that the danger has passed and he could relax, Toph jumped into leaves pile like a bomb and made huge mass of leaves once again rise up in the air with some if it once again falling onto Zuko and scaring him once again.

 _"_ _What a fools they are indeed!"_ Azula turned away.

"That's a cute boy you are looking at, isn't it?" A strange and sweet voice welcomed Azula and made her turn toward it.

"What do you want?!" Azula growled at the intruder. It was rare that common people would come and talk with her. Most of the time they tried to make themselves scarce and cover in fear when she looked at them, so why this time was different?

"You like him don't you?" The sweet voice continued and Azula finally registered who was standing before her. It was an older girl with strange clothes and even stranger hair. Azula thought that she had a long hair, but this new girl had them even longer, but that wasn't the strangest thing. The strangest thing was that they were pink like the clothes Ty lee so liked to wear. Azula didn't know of anyone with pink hair. It was very odd looking and the very first thought was that this thing, girl, didn't belong here.

"Why don't you come and join them. Talk to him. Nothing would happen if you just sit here watching him. You need to actually do something if you want to be with him." The strange girl looked at Azula. Azula said nothing and just stared at this strange girl then turned her eyes toward Sokka.

"I was mistaken, you don't like him. You love him! I can see it in the way you look at him." The girl with pink hair continued to talk. "Believe me I was there once. You need to go and talk with him or it could only grow worse."

"You are talking nonsense here. Sokka wouldn't love such monster like me. Not after everything I did to him and his friends several years ago." Azula just mumbled and tried to turn away.

"Is that how long since you started to like him and then that feeling grew even bigger?" The pink girl was persisting.

"Why are you still here and talking with me? People normally tried to avoid me at all cost at all time. No one wants to be with a mentally unstable girl!" Azula growled and glared dagger at the stranger.

"People who love each other ignore each other flaw and help to overcome any obstacles." Pink haired girl sat nearby.

"Even if Sokka would love me, neither his friends nor his family would accept me." Azula mumbled to her self. "No one!"

"Well … if his friends don't accept you and would try to interfere with you relationship with him, you could simply kill them." The strange girl smirked at Azula.

"Kill them? Are you nuts? What kind of advice is that?! He would never forgive me if I do anything like that!" Azula raised her voice. "They are still afraid of me for what I have done to them the summer when we first met." She added after several seconds with calmer voice.

"That's a right answer. If that boy would really love you, his friends and family would understand it. You need to trust people more. I could bet you are creating plans on top of plans for everything that could happen and each scenario is even worse. You are scared of what could happen if you told him how you feel and instead hide and suppress all emotions. Love is unpredictable and you have to live with that. Sometimes there are things that you can't plan for and just have to react to circumstances. If you really love that boy you need to take decisive action and let him see the true you instead of hiding by the many mask you wear, but if you drop your mask for a second and let him see your true self. The world could chance and become a better place." Pink girl replied to Azula, while Azula tried to find any clue that this girl may be lying to her and would want make her act foolish.

"What if he didn't like what he would see there?" Azula asked silently.

"You would never know if don't do the first step, come and start to talk with him." The strange girl answered calmly.

At same time Ty lee spotted a new nice looking guy with strange clothes she had never saw here and decided to introduce himself.

"Well hello there sweet sugar cake. What does such cutie do here? You must be new here. Do you want me to show you the place?" Ty lee hugged the boy and then her world was turned upside down and huge pain shoots through her body. She didn't noticed how she ended lying on the ground with a strange girl kneeing beside her with knife in hand ready to slice her throat.

"Let her go, Juno, darling. She isn't worth it." The boy with whom Ty lee was talking just a couple seconds ago put his hands on pink haired girl's shoulder and looked at her. For several seconds nothing has happened and everyone stood like petrified while looking at this scene, then the knife in pink haired girl's, now known as Juno, hands evaporated and she stood up, the she took boy's hand and they all walked away. The mist surrounded them and after several seconds they disappeared.

Azula looked amazed by this little show and smiled at it. That girl and the world was truly unpredictable place. Then she stood up, run toward huge leaves pile in which Sokka was playing and launched herself into it. Sokka was still shocked by what he just saw and didn't notice Azula jumping toward him before it was too late. Azula landed right on top of him causing huge cloud of leaves raise in the air and after several seconds' descent and bury everyone in it. When the leaves settled and Sokka managed to clear them from his face he saw Azula smiling at him and that wasn't an evil calculating smirk Azula was known for showing, but a rare genuine smile.

"Hello Sokka. Can I join in?" Azula asked him. Sokka was the only one to see Azula smiling and it looked like the ice masks Azula was normally wearing have melted for several seconds and he could see completely different girl there. Everyone else were distracted by Ty lee whining that her stomach was in pains hell and her arm was broken and that not counting that her head was in huge pain too when she has hit the ground.

"Yes, you can, if you are not afraid of getting a little bit dirty." Sokka replied and playfully tossed some of the leaves toward Azula. Azula answered to it by tossing some leaves back. Then Toph once again dive bombed leaf pile making another leaf cloud rouse up.

Katara sat near Ty lee and after summoning some water started to check on Ty lee's broken arm, while Mai joked that Ty lee's nonstop flirting with boys finally backfired at her. At same time Aang looked at the spot where mysterious boy and girl disappeared and mumbled something about celestial beings gracing them with their presence. The world was indeed strange and unpredictable place.


End file.
